1994 Ford Explorer Problems, Recalls & Reliability
1,531 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 1994 Ford Explorer, alongside 7 recall campaigns and 13 defect investigations. It scores 50/100 on the trouble index — a below-average year for this model. Wheels & tires leads the reports, typically around 86,900 miles.
Below average
Where 1994 sits among all Explorer years
What owners report
“Tread of the right rear firestone atx tire came off while driving causing damage to the vehicle, consumer request reimbursement. Nlm”— owner report to NHTSA, 1994 Explorer
“Vehiclemaster brake cylinder was leaking and had to be replaced at 11,000 rotors for cylinder 12,000.(pe95-001). Tt”— owner report to NHTSA, 1994 Explorer
“The left and right side brackets connecting the hydraulic lift cylinders failed prior to recall notice (99v-310). Nlm”— owner report to NHTSA, 1994 Explorer
“The vehicle stalled intermittently regardless of speed or driving, dealer isolated the problem and found it to be the secondary ignition system. Nlm”— owner report to NHTSA, 1994 Explorer
“When in four wheel drive, vehicle kicks it out, causing sudden jerking to the car, resulting in control lost. Tt”— owner report to NHTSA, 1994 Explorer
“At 60 to 70 mph the vehicle experiences a bad vibration, due to the design of the engine mounts, that affects steering and control of the vehicle.”— owner report to NHTSA, 1994 Explorer
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 102 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 99,041 miles. Half of those reports fall between 80,000 and 129,000 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.
Recalls (7)
THIS IS NOT A SAFETY RECALL IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE SAFETY ACT. HOWEVER, IT IS DEEMED A SAFETY IMPROVEMENT CAMPAIGN BY THE AGENCY. EQUIPMENT DESCRIPTION: FORD IS REPLACING ALL FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT 15, 16, AND 17 INCH TIRES MOUNTED ON FORD TRUCKS AND…
Fix: THE REPLACEMENT/REIMBURSEMENT PROGRAM FOR THIS CAMPAIGN EXPIRED ON MARCH 31, 2002. HOWEVER, CUSTOMERS CAN CONTACT FORD AT 1-877-917-3673 OR GO ON-LINE TO WWW.FORD.COM FOR POSSIBLE ASSISTANCE.
TIRE DESCRIPTION: FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT, SIZE P235/75R15, PRODUCED AT THE DECATUR, ILLINOIS TIRE PLANT AND ALL FIRESTONE RADIAL ATX AND RADIAL ATX II TIRES, SIZE P235/75R15. OPERATION OF THESE TIRES AT LOW INFLATION PRESSURES, HIGH SPEED, AND IN HOT…
Fix: THE REPLACEMENT/REIMBURSEMENT PROGRAM FOR THIS CAMPAIGN EXPIRED ON AUGUST 29, 2001. HOWEVER, CUSTOMERS SHOULD CONTACT FIRESTONE CUSTOMER SERVICE AT 1-800-465-1904 FOR POSSIBLE ASSISTANCE.
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: ON CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, THE HYDRAULIC LIFT CYLINDER BRACKET WELDS COULD FRACTURE.
Fix: DEALERS WILL INSTALL LIFTGATE REINFORCEMENT BRACKETS. DEPENDING UPON THE CONDITION OF THE LIFTGATE SHEET METAL IN THE AREA OF THE BRACKET, DEALERS MAY ALSO INSTALL A LARGER REINFORCEMENT.
A SHORT CIRCUIT CONDITION CAN OCCUR IN THE REMOTE POWER MIRROR CONTROL SWITCH CIRCUIT BOARD AS A RESULT OF A SEPARATED PART OF THE CONTACT ASSEMBLY BRIDGING THE SWITCH POSITIVE BATTERY PAD AND ADJACENT CHASSIS GROUND PAD.
Fix: DEALERS WILL INSTALL AN IN-LINE 10 AMP FUSE IN THE POSITIVE BATTERY FEED TO THE REMOTE POWER MIRROR CONTROL SWITCH ASSEMBLY.
THE STUDS WHICH ATTACH THE BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER TO THE POWER BRAKE VACUUM BOOSTER ASSEMBLY CAN DEVELOP STRESS CORROSION CRACKING AFTER BEING OPERATED FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME IN THE SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA LOCATION.
Fix: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE POWER BRAKE VACUUM BOOSTER ASSEMBLY.
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: MULTI-PURPOSE PASSENGER VEHICLES. THIS IS NOT A SAFETY RECALL IN ACCORDANCE WITH FEDERAL REGULATION 573. HOWEVER, IT IS DEEMED A SAFETY IMPROVEMENT CAMPAIGN BY THE AGENCY. THE CAMPAIGN WILL REINFORCE THE BRACKET ATTACHMENTS OF THE…
Fix: FORD DEALERS WILL REINFORCE THE BRACKET ATTACHMENTS.
THE PARKING BRAKE CONTROL SELF-ADJUST PAWL DOES NOT LINE UP PROPERLY WITH THE SELF-ADJUST RACHET CAUSING THE PAWL TO SLIP OVER ONE OR MORE TEETH IN THE RACHET.
Fix: A WEDGE WILL BE INSTALLED WHICH WILL SERVE TO LOCK THE PARKING BRAKE SELF-ADJUST MECHANISM PAWL INTO ENGAGEMENT WITH THE RACHET. ALSO, OWNERS WILL BE ADVISED TO RELEASE AND REAPPLY THE PARKING BRAKE…
Federal defect investigations
Led to recall campaign 99V310001.
Led to recall campaign 97V235001.
Led to recall campaign 97V083000.
Led to recall campaign 96V024001.
Complaint history for this model year
When owners filed their reports — a long tail means problems kept surfacing for years.
Questions buyers ask
Is the 1994 Ford Explorer reliable?
The 1994 Ford Explorer drew 1,531 complaints in federal safety records — a below-average year for this model. Its trouble index is 50/100, scored against the model's worst year (2002).
What are the most common 1994 Ford Explorer problems?
The top reported problems for the 1994 Ford Explorer are wheels & tires (400 complaints), brakes & stability (310), and body & structure (161).
At what mileage do 1994 Ford Explorer problems show up?
Owners most often report 1994 Ford Explorer problems around 99,041 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 80,000 and 129,000 miles.
Does the 1994 Ford Explorer have recalls?
7 recall campaigns apply to the 1994 Ford Explorer. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer.
Every number on this page is a count of records in the federal complaint, recall, and investigation files published by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. Check any specific vehicle's open recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.